||| FROM BEN LUNA for ORCAS ISLAND FIRE & RESCUE |||
At 2:55 a.m. on Monday, February 23, Orcas Island Fire & Rescue (OIFR) was dispatched to a residential structure fire on Thimbleberry Lane. Crews arrived to find the home fully involved, with multiple structures and vehicles threatened. The occupant had self-evacuated, and firefighters immediately transitioned to a defensive attack to protect the surrounding area.
A total of 24 OIFR personnel responded with 7 apparatus, including 4 engines, 1 tender, 1 rescue rig, and 1 ambulance.
One OIFR firefighter and the homeowner sustained injuries during the incident. Neither required transport to a hospital.
Firefighters faced significant challenges due to the absence of fire hydrants in the area. Operations required a mobile water supply, utilizing four engines and a tender to ensure adequate water for fire suppression. This type of water shuttle operation is common in rural areas of Orcas Island and underscores the importance of sufficient apparatus and personnel for large-scale structural fires.
The fire was fully extinguished approximately 4 hours after the initial dispatch. Overhaul was complete and crews released at 1 p.m. on Monday afternoon. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
OIFR encourages all residents and business owners to ensure their address is clearly marked at the entrance of their driveway or on their storefront. Visible address signs help emergency responders locate properties quickly — every second counts. OIFR offers free address plates to the community; contact us at 360-376-2331 or come by Station 21 at 45 Lavender Lane to request yours.
**If you are reading theOrcasonian for free, thank your fellow islanders. If you would like to support theOrcasonian CLICK HERE to set your modestly-priced, voluntary subscription. Otherwise, no worries; we’re happy to share with you.**
In rural areas of Santa Cruz County, CA, where I hail from and lived for over two decades before moving to Orcas Island in 2010, you had to install 10,000 gallons of fire-department accessible water tanks if and when you made a major improvement on your property. That was the only way that sufficient water would be available in case of a fire like the one on Thimbleberry Lane occurring in your neighborhood. One of my neighbors there — reputedly the guy who invented granola (Now that’s a typical Santa Cruz story!) and sold his company for millions — living above us had done so, and we felt reasonably safe.
This sounds like a good policy for rural San Juan County, especially in view of this fire. And I’m told by a knowledgable fire commissioner that one of the OIFR tenders was out of action for repairs when this fire occurred. I’ve already discussed this idea with the OIFR Board Chair.
Justin Paulsen, are you listening?
Three comments.
First, kudos to OIFR. They put out the fire. That’s of course what they are paid to do. Well done.
Second, In arguably the dumbest decision I’ve seen in some 20+ years of city and county government , the OIFR Board of Commissioners opted to go in debt for the next 20 years to fund new fire apparatus and fire station repairs. They COULD have considered a simple levy lid lift at exactly the same cost to Orcas taxpayers, but they totally failed to do a comparison of debt funding vs. a levy lid lift. That stunning failure (it would have taken maybe 2 hours to do a debt vs levy lid lift comparison), cost the fire district an estimated $11 million in future tax payer’s dollars to fund the $18 million debt. Of course the public appreciates the fire district and voted for the only option on the ballot, debt funding. Only once during the multiple funding meeting was the cost of debt funding even mentioned, and there were maybe five citizens in attendance. Point is, taxpayers are paying some $11 million to borrow money that they could have saved and used for additional fire apparatus and repairs over the next 20 years. And then four of the commissioners falsely claimed they did the levy vs debt comparison, but the only think lacking is they can”t say when or how they did that, and every meeting is on video and have minutes. ZERO evidence of any debt vs levy lift comparison.
Third, in response to Michael Riordan: A 10.000 gallon water tank is about $14,000 plus delivery and installation, Interesting water storage idea, but likely only the very wealthy could afford same.. Orcas has few structure fires (haven’t yet seen the Chief’s report on how many), and the probability of saving a structure even if 10,000 gallon tank was installed is probably minimal.
This was a seriousl fire with all the danger and complexity that comes with it. Good job to all in the Dept and thank you.
They plan, they train and they risk their necks to protect and sometimes save us. I am told the resident only got out of this with thier life.
Imagine it was your house, we did. WOW!
I see them trianing on the weekend at the station, grateful for them all.
Go team Orcas Fire!
Thank you to our wonderful fire fighters!!! We are very fortunate to have you and you do us proud.
Robert Dashiell sounds like a broken record that keeps playing the same old tune over and over again.
Mr. Dashiell seems to have forgotten the two failed attempts at a levy lift to pay for equipment in 2023. A scaled down version for operations but not equipment was approved by the voters, who are sensitive to large increases to property taxes.